1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a card connector, and more particularly to a card connector having a switch element for detecting a position of an inserted card.
2. Description of Related Arts
Integrated circuit (IC) cards are connected to other electronic devices electrically in conjunction with corresponding card connectors. In order to contact or cut electrically between IC cards and other equipments accurately and conveniently, the card connectors commonly equip with switches to achieve above-mentioned object.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,281 issued to Shishikura et al. on Mar. 23, 2004 discloses a card connector for receiving an electrical card. The card connector defines a card receiving space and comprises an insulating housing, a plurality of contacts exposed into the card receiving space and arranged on a bottom wall of the insulating housing, and a write protect switch. The write protect switch comprises a stationary metal piece and a cantilevered metal piece. The cantilevered metal piece has a projecting touching portion, which can come in contact with the electrical card. When the electrical card slides to one of two positions: a protect-on position (write inhibit position) and a protect-off position (write enable position), the two metal pieces is connected or separated structurally and electrically for detecting the electrical card.
In general, the write protect switch can detect a slide position of an electrical card. However, because the stationary metal piece meets the cantilevered metal piece which two simply contact with each other, dust and other matters residing on both of contacting portions thereof can not be cleared automatically, resulting in no-reliable connection between the two metal pieces of the switch. Accordingly, the electrical card is not effectively detected.
Hence, an improved card connector is highly desired to overcome the aforementioned disadvantage of the prior art.